This study conducted laboratory tests to evaluate effects of slope inclinations, loading condition, and geotextile lengths on geotextile-reinforced earth wall (GREW) that consists of non-woven polypropylene geotextile fabrics and re-bar mesh nets. In the experimental tests, horizontal displacements under three cumulative loading conditions of 50 kPa, 100 kPa, and 250 kPa were measured using 5 linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs). Three slope gradients (73.3°, 59°, and 45°) and geotextile lengths (0 cm, 10 cm, 14 cm, and 20 cm) were applied to investigate how the displacements changed. The results show that maximum horizontal displacements were observed near the top surface when the slope inclination was 45° while those were measured around middle of slopes when the inclinations were 73.3° and 59°. As the loading condition and the inclination increased from 50 kPa to 250 kPa and from 45° to 73.3°, respectively, or the length of geotextiles decreased from 20 cm to 0 cm, maximum horizontal displacements increased. In comparisons of the maximum horizontal displacements for non-reinforced wall and GREW, maximum horizontal displacements decreased by 60.3% with the reinforcements. These results imply that GREW can be stabilized with a decrease in the slope inclination and/or increase in the geotextile length. This study expands on a limited experimental database and thus provide empirical backgrounds for more precise GREW design.
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